Jesse Sorenson vs. Austin Aries for the X Division Championship Review:
Aries starts off with knees to Sorenson, and takes him down with a powerful shoulder block. Aries gets to the outside and taunts Jesse until he is driven into the barricade from a baseball slide. He flies with a crossbody to the outside. Aries gets knocked down with a clothesline. We then see Kid Kash walking down the ramp.
Jesse sends Aries to the corner, but is reversed and Aries hits an elbow to gain the offensive advantage. He gets a two count after a take down. Aries hits a modified DDT. Sorenson kicks him in the face but is distracted by Kash who has his football. The ref tells Kash to leave, and Sorenson those the football at him. Kash tries to get into the ring, but Aries hits a dropkick and rolls up Sorenson for the victory.
Reaction:
The match between these two had a solid pace, and a lot of action given the amount of time it was given. I hated the whole Kid Kash scenario, as well as the football as a distraction. It just seems lazy and childish doing something this immature. They try to be edgy in other programs, but this just shows that they run out of ideas. Without the Kash angle, I would grade this segment a B with the entertaining wrestling, but that drags it down to a C.
Backstage Segments Review:
-Mexican America is seen in a tattoo parlor, as Anarquia is getting a tattoo. Ink Inc. enters and begins to brawl with them. Jesse Neal says its been four months coming and who is the bitch now. We get a tease of Moore giving him a tattoo, or hurting him with a needle.
-Jeff Hardy looks for Kurt Angle but runs into Matt Morgan. He talks about how Hardy gave the TNA Championship a black eye, and how he spit in the eye of everyone in the company. Morgan talks about how he was addicted to pain killers and how he will give him another chance. He will kick Jeff’s ass if he screws up again.
-Jeff Hardy finds Angle and Angle says he does not want him here so he should leave now. Jeff does not like where this is going, and says he is Angle’s biggest threat. Angle says he better never say that to him again, and leaves.
Reaction:
I think Ink Inc and Mexican America will make a solid matchup, two teams who rely on two completely different offenses and routines. They have a chance to be entertaining, but need to be careful they can execute the move set properly. Hardy continues to be shown the cold shoulder by his peers, but I like how he started standing up for himself around Angle. I give it three months at the most until they guys face off. These segments get a B-, because they foreshadow the future in two bigger angles.
In Ring Segment Review:
Kurt calls out Bobby Roode. Angle talks about how Daniels took advantage of their friendship and wonders if Roode will do it again this week. Roode says this is not going to work, and how he has worked hard for 13 years for this moment and opportunity. He calls Angle the greatest wrestler in the world, but he won’t be stopped from becoming champion. Kurt says he knows someone who might get in his way, and out comes James Storm. Storm says Roode could think Immortal bought him out, but he is out to talk to Kurt. Storm heard Angle says he has all the stroke, and he should stroke his bottle. He wants a match with Angle. Storm says sorry about his damn luck.
Reaction:
A good segment to build up their title match at Bound For Glory, but I feel this match should take place right before the Pay Per View. They have plenty of time to build it. Storm and Roode will face each other, though, which will be an intricate part in building some suspense of Beer Money, as well as the single’s career of Roode. He is solid on the mic and continues to make me want to watch what happens next. Angle and Roode could be the match of the night and, with the right build, will be a good title match. This segmentg gets a B.
